NEWBORN IN J POD SIGHTED
Hello Everyone,
I received good news today! Yesterday, J pod was sighted off Whidbey Island with a new calf in tow. The new mom is reported to be Samish, J-14, born in 1974. Samish has three other surviving offspring, Riptide, J-30, born in 1995, Hy’shqa, J-37, a female born in 2001 and Suttles, J-40, a female born in 2004. The new born is classified as J-43.
Samish comes from a very good gene pool. Her grandmother is Granny, J-2, born approximately 1911, and her great uncle, Ruffles, J-1, born approximately 1951. Granny and Ruffles are the oldest female and male in J pod. Samish’s mother, J-12, went missing in 1996.
It is not confirmed yet that Samish is the mother, but on the two occasions that J pod has been sighted since the 7th of November, the newborn has been right next to and traveling with Samish. Sounds to me like Samish is a new mom.
Thanks to the Center for Whale Research for information. You can go to their website www.whaleresearch.com to get more news and see a photo of mom and the newborn.
This newborn brings the total population of the southern residents to 88 orca with 26 in J pod.
A ray of sunshine on a rather gloomy day.